England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended his decision to exclude right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold from the 2026 World Cup squad, emphasizing a team-first philosophy.
The Three Lions face Mexico in the round of 16 on Sunday, July 5, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, with kickoff at 8:00 p.
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m. ET.
Tuchel's roster choice has drawn scrutiny, especially after injuries to Reece James and Jarell Quansah during the group stage limited defensive options.
Djed Spence started at right-back in the round of 32 win over DR Congo, with midfielder Declan Rice covering the position for the final 20 minutes.
Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid last season, has not played for England since June 2025 and was omitted from Tuchel's 55-player preliminary squad.
The 27-year-old struggled for consistent minutes in Spain and previously failed to secure a regular role under former manager Gareth Southgate, who deployed him as a midfielder at Euro 2024.
Tuchel stated that his selections prioritized collective cohesion over individual star power.
"From day one we were clear we were trying to build the best possible team, which is not necessarily the 26 most talented players," Tuchel said.
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"Teams win championships, and what we're trying to achieve can only be achieved as a team."
The German tactician noted that the squad includes specialists for set pieces and penalty situations, tailored to different game scenarios.
"We have players ready and committed to the idea of team spirit and being unselfish," he added.
Tuchel acknowledged that leaving out elite players like Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, and Cole Palmer required difficult conversations.
"Very difficult decisions. Painful conversations.
Difficult to explain to the players," he said.
"I'm very confident in the group we chose."
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The manager concluded that omitting extraordinary personalities is an inevitable part of building a balanced tournament squad.
